WARNING! SOAP BOX

I see that our fearless leader in Washington has decided, in the interest of his reelection campaign, to put off a decision on the proposed pipeline from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico.

This pipeline would have created thousands of jobs here in the United States and would have reduced our dependence on oil from the mid-East.

The fear of the environmentalists is that THERE MAY BE A LEAK which could affect the ground water. This almost makes sense until you realize that there is only a possibility of a leak. Using that logic, should I stop crossing the street because I MAY be hit by a car, should I stop using stairs because I MAY fall? There are so many possibilities in life, does that mean that we should stop living?

There is also the possibility that this pipeline will perform perfectly, that we will reduce our dependence on oil from the mid-East, that our unemployment rate will go down. Those possibilities carry much more weight in favor of the pipeline than the fact that it MAY leak.

Canada has suggested rerouting the pipeline, but that is not good enough for the candidate in chief. AND, Canada is now mulling the possibility of selling the oil to - you guessed it - China, thereby helping China's economy even more.

Point of Manufacture

Recently some friends and I were discussing the recent Solyndra scam and GE's sending jobs to China. We decided that we would rather support our own economy and buy things made in America.

I went to Target the other day to buy some toys for a Toys for Tots collection being taken in the community. I checked out several toys, particularly my favorites like Matchbox Cars and Hot Wheels Cars. I put them back because they were all made either in China or Malaysia. Every toy I checked was made overseas. I finally settled on a set of Leggos which are made in Denmark.

Then I decided to get some children's books at Barnes & Noble. So many were manufactured in China. I did manage to find a few like the Clifford series, Winnie the Pooh and Snoopy. I hope the children who get these books will enjoy them as much as my sons and I enjoyed Clifford, the Big Red Dog and Winnie the Pooh and of course Snoopy.

Unfortunately, I wasn't as careful when buying two cookbooks to add to my collection. I bought a Kitchen Aid Baking Basics and a selection of Holiday appetizers, dinners and cookies. After I got them home, I checked and you guessed it. They were "Manufactured in China". Next time I'll be sure to check.

Forgotten News

This morning I decided that Crash and Burn deserved a treat. I felt guilty that I left them for

2 1/2 days with only enough food to last 4 days.

As I was wandering around Petco, I met a woman who was there with her dog. I forgot to ask the breed, but he was big and a beautiful shade of gold. He was fairly well trained, it only took 3 or 4 tries to get him to sit, but he was quiet and didn't jump (which is what I like).

We got to talking and she mentioned that he's 6 years old, but she only has him for 2 months. He was a rescue because his previous owner lost her home in the Pennsylvania floods and then had to go to assisted living. This woman also mentioned that her parents also lost their home.

How quickly we forget about the floods and the people who lost their homes through no fault of their own. They just happened to be living in an area which has had too much rain too quickly and the ground couldn't absorb it.

There's too much emphasis given to those who might have over bought or over spent and now face foreclosure. The news lately has also focused on the story du jour, like the Wall Street Occupiers instead of those who were victims of weather or the economy.

I'd like to see more stories on those who lost homes and businesses because of the crazy weather we've been having lately.

Occupy Wall Street

I'm sitting here watching all the news reports on the occupy Wall Street protesters. The mobs are trying to shut down the subways, blocking the streets, trying to basically shut down the city.

They claim to be for the 99% who they believe are the downtrodden of our country. What they either don't want to know or are too ignorant to believe, they are hurting the working people. They almost succeeded in shutting down a small restaurant on Wall Street. Business had gotten so bad that the owner was forced to lay off half of his staff. Eventually the barricades were removed and his business improved slightly. I wonder if it will ever recover.

I feel for the people who are just trying to make a living. They go to their jobs every day doing the best they can. And yet, they have to contend with closed streets, unruly mobs, the stench, the threats, etc. And the people who are paying huge rents to live in downtown Manhattan have had to contend with the crowds and noise 24/7. Don't they have rights too?

Things may be looking up though. Mayor Bloomberg finally grew a spine and ordered that once beautiful Zucotti Park be emptied and cleaned out. He SAID that the protesters would not be allowed to stay there overnight (I'll believe that when I see it). Today a stock trader and his brother got together with others, made signs saying, "Occupy a desk", "Get a job". I know that unemployment is high now, but there are some companies hiring. It just takes a little work and maybe taking a lesser job for the time being.

When asked how he would have handled the occupation, former Mayor Rudy Guliani said, "There is no sleeping in the park, end of story". This would have ended in the first week. Rudy, we miss you. Come back Rudy.

Travel

I've decided to take a short trip out to Long Island. I'll only be away for two days, but it seem like I have to take as much for two days as I do for two weeks. Of course, I don't need as many clothes, but all the extras add up.

I still need my make-up, lotions, comb, brushes, hair clips, shoes, slippers, etc. Even though the hotel has a hair dryer, I need my curling iron. I'm so glad I have a Kindle, if not, I'd have to bring extra books in case I become disenchanted with the one I'm reading and need a sub.

For my first night, I'm meeting my niece and her daughter for dinner. Tomorrow, I'm having lunch with a friend and on Friday, I'm going to be visiting Teddy Roosevelt's home in Oyster Bay. That visit will bring my total to three presidential homes/libraries I've visited. I'd like to visit them all. I wonder, does visiting the White House count?

Veteran's Day

Thank you to all veterans who have served.

I was pleased to see that those "evil Wall Street people" observed a moment of silence at 11:00 AM to commorate the Armistice which occurred on the 11th day of the 11th month at the 11:00th hour. There aren't too many moments of silence observed any more and I was glad to see it today.

It reminded me of the time my mother and I were in a department store in Brooklyn, I guess I was about 8 years old. One of the employees came over and told us that at 11:00 AM there would be a moment of silence in commoration of the event and would we please join them, which we did. That moment sticks in my memory.

If only the mayor of Richmond, CA had that much respect for our veterans. As of a report last night, she was planning on attending one of the protest rallies at 11:00 AM instead of attending a memorial for our veterans. Shame on her.

Do Cats Think?

Often when we talk about our pets, we give them human qualities. I know I do. I think of Crash and Burn as a sister and brother. Crash is the proper older sister and Burnie is the pesky younger brother.

This has made me wonder if cats are capable of thinking and plotting. Burnie has started doing little things that seem to be done to annoy Crash. Crash has always liked sitting next to me on the couch, but lately Burnie rushes to the couch as soon as I sit down. When Crash is keeping me company in my office, Burnie always has to go over and bother her until she gets up and walks away. Then he just lays down in her spot and goes to sleep.

It seems like Burnie's whole purpose in life lately is to annoy Crash. Isn't that what little brothers do to big sisters?